Decontamination system



F. A. STANDIFORD DECONTAMINATION SYSTEM Jan. 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 7, 1958 litvd al INVENTOR. D r/QNzD/Foeo F. A. STANDIFORD DECONTAMINATION SYSTEM Jan. 27 1959 Filed Jan. 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States PatentfOliiee 2,870,750 Patented Jan. 27, 1959 DECONTAMINATION SYSTEMy Fred A. Standiford, San Pedro, Calif. Application January 7, 195s, serial No. 707,543

claims. (C1. 12s- 119) This invention relates to apparatus for removing, or rendering inert, air pollutants normally produced in combustion or chemical processes. This invention relates particularly to apparatus of this character for use in connection with an internal combustion engine of an automobile. l

Exhaust gasesfrom an automobile engine contain hydrocarbons in addition to water and carbon dioxide as a result of incomplete combustion. The primary object of this invention is to provide apparatus that makes it impossible for these hydrocarbons to contaminate the air.

In order to accomplish this purpose, a separator device is utilized. By the aid of this device, the heavy hydrocarbons are carried out through the-exhaust pipe with the condensed moisture, and the lighter `hydrocarbons are reburned by the engine. The heavy hydrocarbons do'not rise in the air, and hence create no problem. p

Another object of this invention is to provide irnproved apparatus for more completely burning the fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine, whereby not only is the engine eiciency improved, but there is the additional advantage that a small separator can operate efficiently. Thus,.accordingkto this invention, an exceedingly rich mixture of fuel is admitted into the intake manifold when the automobile is decelerating and when the throttle is closed. In order to minimize the job required to lbe done by the separator, air is bypassed about the carburetor to the intake manifold during conditions of high vacuum. Accordingly, the fuel is more completely burned and the separator can more effectively operate.

rIn order to ensure effective operation ofr the separator, gases are cooled in advance of the separator to al temperature below the boiling point of water. Accordingly, water vapor can be used as a medium for conducting the heavy hydrocarbons to the roadway. e

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus for improving the efficiency of an internal combustion engine.

Another object of this invention is to provide simple plane indicated by line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

apparatus for accomplishing these results and which is readily installed in an automobile.

This vinvention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose', there is shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specilication. This form will now be described in detail illustrating the general principles of the invention; -but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view illustrating the various parts embodying the present invention; p l

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating a portion ofthe air cleaner and lthe bypass struc: llle;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the separator illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged sectional view taken along the plane indicated by line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the collector device incorporated within the separator' and taken along the plane indicated by line 6-6 of Fig. 5, a portion of the apparatus being broken away and illustrated in section.

In Fig. 1, an engine block 10 is illustrated. Exhaust gases, including water vapor and carbon dioxide, pass from the engine via a conduit 11 to a cooler 12 and thence to a separator 13. The temperature of the gases in the separator 13 is below the boiling point of water. The moisture thus condensed in cooler 12 acts as a vehicle for carrying-the heavy, incompletely burned hydrocarbons out of the separator 13 and to a tailpipe 27.

The lighter gases in the separator 13 are returned to the engine. For this purpose, a conduit 15 is provided.

One end of the conduit 15 connects with a fitting or elbow 16 at the upper side of the separator 13, and the other lend of theconduit 1S projects into the carburetor 19. The light gases are accordingly discharged and recirculated to the engine and burned.

The separator 13 is shown in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. It comprises a circular casing made of two parts 20 and 21. These parts vhave peripheral anges 20a and 21a held together by a series of nuts and bolts22 or other fastening means. The casing parts 20 and 21 provide a flattened, generally circular chamber 23. Exhaust gases at a temperature below 212 F. are fed into the chamber 23 in a tangential direction. For this purpose, the

casing parts 20 and 21 provide a tangentialinlet'24 toy the chamber 23. A conduit 25 from the cooler 12 tele'- scopes over a nipple 25a that projects into the opening 24a of the inlet 24, the end of the conduit 25V abutting a shoulder 24b formed by the complementary casing parts 20 and 21. A clamp 25b compresses conduit 25 over nipple 25a.

The circular motion of lexhaust gas in the chamber 23 causes the heavy particles, including water, to collect along the outer walls of the chamber 23 and the light particles to collect at the center of the chamber 23. The heavy impurities are carried by the water to a central drain 26 formed integrally on the lower casing part Ztl- The drain 26 is in the form of an elbow with which the` tail piece 27 cooperates. The tailpiece 27 projects within the drain 26 and is held in position by the aid of a set screw 28 or other suitable means.

The lighter gases at the upper central portion of the chamber 23 pass into the fitting 16. The fitting 16 is in the form of an elbow, one end being threadedly accommodated centrally of the upper casing part 21.

The normal pressure of gases at the area of the fitting 16 is rlow by virtue of the circular motion of uid. In order to ensure that the gases are at a pressure suicient to be drawn into the intake manifold through the carbure tor 19, a collector 29 is provided. This collector 29 acts virtually as a pump in order to increase the pressure of gases at the center of the chamber 23. The collector 29 is in the form of a cup, the sides of which provide a series of vanes 30 equiangularly located about the axis of the collector 29 and providing communication between the inside and outside of the collector. The vanes effectively scoop gases to the interior of the collector 29 into which the tting 16 projects. To ensure this result, the vanes 30 extend angularly in a direction opposite the motions of the gases in the chamber 23. Although stationary, the collector 2 9 acts as a centrifugal impeller.

The collector 29`conveniently can be made of flat sheet metalmaterial vor-the like, appropriately cut and ,bent to.. provide .the .desiredconguration T he-ilat metal part 21.` ScrewsZ Aor-the like serve -tosecure-the ears 31 in position. '-Byprovidirig a suliient angularity of thevanes3`0, suicient pressure vis-developed' at the' interior of ythe collector 29 such that the lighter vgases may be eiectively recirculated to the engine.'Y 4 v' rIt is Vvital Atha't 'the separation accor'nplished` iby lthe separatorf13 takes place l'atatemperature below the/boiling point of water.Vv 'lio ensure this result, the yct ol` e1' 1f2 is provided between'the separatorl 13and the exhaust manifold' of the engine block The'cooler 12 coinprises two end elementsor headers 33A yand 3 4, respec tively providing'rneans for connection iofthe conduits r'11 and. 25 to. the cooler. A A series of tubes 435 *('see ,also Fig. 3) interconnectithe'headers 33"'ai1d l 3 4 land provide a substantial area vexposed toft'he'harnbient air yfor effective transfer of lheat thereto. i' vPreferably the tubes 35 aremade of good'heat-conductingmaterial such vas aluminum. "The gases expand as they enter the'tubes 35 -fr'om the inlet `header 34,` and are accordingly. cooled.

Botfhth'e velocity and temperfatn'ne of the ,gasesvjare' reduced at the outlet header; 33, andthe gases pass tothe separator 13 via the `cnduitv2 5."

'ln order to minimine'thefwork required of the separator -1-3, provisions are made for more completely burnin 'githeV f uel` supplied to VtheV engine, especially when a rich mixturewonld otherwise be ]'g;res er 1t Av valve structure, 36- .is provided for this tinrpgse. "Tiiufnnnon of theuvalve structure Misto-draw aire from the-filter .to the intake manifold 37 when highvacnum conditions correspondingtorich mixtures'fetistin the intakemaifold y37. The' valve structure '3G-basa tubular body `38 supported adjacent the intake manifold 37 bythe aid of afitting 39. A*I-ille vfitting 39 has one end s ccnred to the intake manifold 37, and another end fits Within a transverse threaded bore 38a ofthe body 38.` The bore 38a intersects the main chamber 40 of the b ody'38, ,and hence, communication v*between the intake manifold 37 and the internal chamber 4t) isestabiished I I A generally tubular lseat-forming inserlt41l, threadedly accommodatedv in theleft-ha'nd end of the body 38, provides an inlet iitting." A conduit 42 is attached at` one end to the outer end 'of the Seat-forming insert 4 1.` v.A tting 43 is'provided for thi'smpirpose. The otherrend of the condui t 42, projects upwaldly through` aI rubber grommet 44 attached at an opening of the Aair iilter Vso located that the'air fiz'is lfiltered. The grommet. 4 4 gripsthe conduit andY restrains Inovement thereo s A movable closure structure .45, accommodated in the body chamber 40,"ismovabl'e toward and. IEWQYLIOIII' the seat insert 41. The closure l5-basa vconical hear-13.4,@ engageable with a conical seat rformed at the innerend of the inserti 41 to close the inlet; A stern 48 of the closure structure 45y entends within a hollow guide threadedly accommodated` in the right-hand end of the valvebody 38, whereby themclosure gnided yffl-11 UQV:

'ment toward and away from4 the seat AV compres,-

sion spring 50, interposedv between the end of thlgllid 49 `and the rearwardly facing shoulder 51 kf oimed bythe head 46, urges thevalvetowardthe seat 47A. Adjustment of file Posiiiooof the 'siiiiiefei determines the. seating-,foros exerted by the spring 50 on the head 4 6. A knnrled lock nut 52 holds theguide 4? in adjustedposition. The outer 'end of the guide 49. sorties. e knoeiedY knob 52s for.. ,flasilitoting appropriate sdiosioeot et. fhejsoide.-v

' Deseiioios. osos. the estese. of. vassoi. is.; or ineke manifold 37, more or less force is exerted upon the closure --head46, tending to retract it away from-the seat47. nDurretraction of the closure 45. However, during conditions of idling and deceleration, high vacuum is created in the intake manifold 37, and the valve closure 46 opens. Accordingly, air is bypassed Yfrom fthe lter 17 directly into the intakemanifold 37,.and adequateair isprovided for assuring more complete combustion of rfuel supplied at this time. The air,bypassedintothev.intakemanifold 37 exerts noY effect uponmthe jets in the carburetor 1 9 since it bypasses'the'carburetor structure. Accordingly, the added air doestiotosreasothe foeldrawnrinto the system The separator operates efiiciently because the quantity of incompletely burned hydrocarbons is minimized by the bypass valve structure.

Byfesiefuiiy .aoiostios theforoe exerted. by the Yooii spring 5,0, '-ios'oooogh, eiijis.4 iattodoeeldfor vall eoaditioos of operation.

The 4Cooler .112.. ooo: separator 1'13 sie; readily: suspended et the frame of. so. automobile;'orosooketmeans .toot shown). 'The structural modications of an existing system required forconnecting the parts ot'` theprQSent apparatusfare quite insignificant. lInstallation is ,accomplishedin'anl expeditious manner.

T he inyentorclairns:

1..- In, apparatusjfor removing oiroontsmioaatslfromiso internal' eombustioo eosinefiivirs as; intake.. manifold, oefoel aomission devieeeod; @exhaust meoifolozraoevioe foieooiiog exhaust goses'oeiow the. boiling point. of water; a separator f edy bgfsa'il device :foi-precipitating heavy 'hydrocarbons inv waterxvapor, said"separatorlhaving -a drain-outlet for ,heavy'hydrocarbonsjorthe like andy-a second outlet for'lightfhydrjocarjbons or'helik rmeans lfor conducting said -lig'htjhydrocarbons from said'second ioutlet` to. l'thentake manifold offthe engine; fand-fmeans fo'r bypassing-=airsindependentlyy ofjsaid' adm' sion device vinto-said vintake manifoltlfto prevent'the 'existence ofjan unduly rich mixture in said"intal e manifold;

2. The combination as set forth in c lai rn l in which said bypassing means comprises anormally c losedwalve structure, andA means actuated by thejpressure drop in i said intake manifold by -openingsaid valve structure "to said separator provides al circularchamber anda-tangential inlet for centrifugalseparation oiligltt and h eavy lhydrocarbons,the said second outletl beinglocated at thecenter of` said chamber, andcollector means. in saidv chamber sod having venes" dirfeefed oorosfeiy to the directies-.of

. movement of the gasesin saidchamber for elevating the pressure, `atssiol outlet at leastsobstariliolly to afmo-,saiierie l Pressure 6. The combination as setforth in claim l in which saidseparator provides acirculan chamber and a tangential inlet for centrifugal separationof light and heavy hydrocarbons, the said second ojntlet. beingulocated,at the center o f said chamber, and a collector cup in the chamber made of sheetmetal andhaving radial tabsbent along lines' inclinedto the length thereof toprovideua series of vanes directed oppositely t o thedirection ofA min/ementV of the gases in said chamber for elevating the pressure at said outlet at least substantially to atmospheric pressure.

7. The combination as set forth n claim 1 in which said cooling device comprises a. pair of headers and a series of tubular elements joining the headers.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is provided an air lter, in which said bypassing means draws air from said filter at a place dependent upon the filtering action thereof.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said bypassing means comprises a valve structure having an air inlet, an outlet connected to said intake manifold, a closure element, and adjustable means for urging the closure element to closing position, the closure element being subjected on opposite sides to inlet and outlet pres- 6 sure respectively, whereby the valve closure is moved to opening position upon a suicient preponderance in atmospheric pressure.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said bypassing means comprises a valve structure having an air inlet, an outlet connected to said intake manifold, a closure element, and adjustable means for urging the closure element to closing position, the closure element being subjected on opposite sides to inlet and outlet pressure respectively, whereby the valve closure is moved to open the valve to an extent corresponding to the difference in inlet and outlet pressure..

No references cited. 

